12 I—I am the one who comforts you.

Who are you that you should fear humans who die,a

or a son of man who is given up like grass?b

13 But you have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,

who stretched out the heavens

and laid the foundations of the earth.c

You are in constant dread all day long

because of the fury of the oppressor,

who has set himself to destroy.

But where is the fury of the oppressor?d

14 The prisonerA is soon to be set free;

he will not die and go to the Pit,

and his food will not be lacking.

15 For I am the Lord your God

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roare—

his name is the Lord of Armies.

16 I have put my words in your mouth,f

and covered you in the shadow of my hand,g

in order to plantB the heavens,

to found the earth,

and to say to Zion, “You are my people.”

17 Wake yourself, wake yourself up!

Stand up, Jerusalem,

you who have drunk the cup of his furyh

from the Lord’s hand;

you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs—

the cup that causes people to stagger.

18 There is no one to guide her

among all the children she has raised;

there is no one to take hold of her hand

among all the offspring she has brought up.

19 These two things have happened to you:i

devastation and destruction,

famine and sword.

Who will grieve for you?

How can IC comfort you?

20 Your children have fainted;

they lie at the head of every street

like an antelope in a net.

They are full of the Lord’s fury,

the rebuke of your God.

21 So listen to this, suffering

and drunken one—but not with wine.j

22 This is what your Lord says—

the Lord, even your God,

who defends his peoplek—

“Look, I have removed from your hand

the cup that causes staggering;

that goblet, the cup of my fury.

You will never drink it again.

23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,

who said to you,l

‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’

You made your back like the ground,

and like a street for those who walk on it.

52 “Wake up, wake up;

put on your strength, Zion!

Put on your beautiful garments,m

Jerusalem, the holy city!n

For the uncircumcised and the unclean

will no longer enter you.o

2 Stand up, shake the dust off yourself!

Take your seat, Jerusalem.

Remove the bondsD from your neck,

captive Daughter Zion.”

3 For this is what the Lord says:

“You were sold for nothing,

and you will be redeemed without silver.”p

4 For this is what the Lord God says:

“At first my people went down to Egypt to reside there,q

then Assyria oppressed them without cause.E

5 So now what have I here”—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

“that my people are taken away for nothing?

Its rulers wail”—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

“and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.a

6 Therefore my people will know my name;b

therefore they will know on that day

that I am he who says,

‘Here I am.’ ”

7 How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the herald,

who proclaims peace,

who brings news of good things,c

who proclaims salvation,

who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”d

8 The voices of your watchmene—

they lift up their voices,

shouting for joy together;

for every eye will see

when the Lord returns to Zion.

9 Be joyful, rejoice together,

you ruins of Jerusalem!f

For the Lord has comforted his people;g

he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The Lord has displayed his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations;h

all the ends of the earth will see

the salvation of our God.i

11 Leave, leave, go out from there!j

Do not touch anything unclean;

go out from her, purify yourselves,k

you who carry the vessels of the Lord.

12 For you will not leave in a hurry,l

and you will not have to take flight;

because the Lord is going before you,m

and the God of Israel is your rear guard.n